Hickory Homestead and Apiary

Hickory Homestead and Apiary is a small family-run honey farm and bee supplier located at 691 Hickory Rd in Mohrsville, Pennsylvania, in northern Berks County. The operation combines a working apiary with a broader homestead that produces farm eggs and related products, and it serves customers both as a retail source of raw local honey and as a supplier of live honey bees to beekeepers throughout the region. The farm is operated by Kelly and Jason, who handle the hives, the harvesting, the packaging, and the customer conversations themselves.

The business occupies a particular niche in southeastern Pennsylvania's agricultural landscape. It is small enough that customers deal directly with the people who keep the bees, yet established enough to produce a consistent supply of honey varieties across the season and to raise and sell nucleus colonies each spring. Sales happen onsite at the homestead rather than through a storefront in town, which means a visit is part farm stop and part conversation with the beekeeper.

Honey and Hive Products

Raw honey is the core product. Because the apiary's hives forage on whatever is blooming in the surrounding Berks County countryside, the character of the honey shifts through the year. Early season honey tends to be lighter in color and milder in flavor, drawing on spring tree and flower sources, while later harvests run darker and more robust as goldenrod, knotweed, and other late nectar flows come in. Customers who buy from the farm more than once often notice these seasonal differences, and staff are accustomed to explaining what went into a given batch and when it was pulled from the hive.

Alongside straight varietal and seasonal honey, the farm produces infused honey. A cinnamon infused version is among the products customers mention most often by name. Infused honeys are typically made in smaller batches and availability can vary depending on the season and how recently a run was bottled.

Beeswax is another byproduct of the operation. Wax rendered from the hives is used for molded and decorative pieces, and it sometimes accompanies purchases as an extra rather than appearing as a standing catalog item. Prospective buyers interested in wax specifically should ask about current stock.

Because honey is a raw agricultural product, supply follows the season rather than a fixed schedule. Certain varieties sell out, and the farm may be between harvests at particular points in the year. Calling ahead at +1 610-554-6052 before making the trip is a practical step, especially for customers coming from a distance.

Nucleus Colonies and Bee Sales

A significant portion of the operation is devoted to raising and selling nucleus colonies, commonly called nucs. A nuc is a small, already functioning hive that includes a laying queen, frames of brood in various stages, frames of stored honey and pollen, and the adult worker bees needed to keep the colony running. For a new beekeeper, a nuc is generally an easier starting point than a package of bees, since the colony is already organized, the queen is accepted, and comb has already been drawn.

Nucs from Hickory Homestead and Apiary are locally raised, which matters to Pennsylvania beekeepers for practical reasons. Bees bred and overwintered in a climate with real winters tend to be better adapted to the conditions they will face in a Berks County backyard than stock shipped from warmer regions. Buyers of these nucs frequently report colonies that build up well through their first season and survive the following winter, which is the benchmark most beekeepers care about.

Nuc sales are seasonal and typically arranged in advance. Demand for spring bees in the mid-Atlantic tends to outpace supply, so beekeepers planning to expand or start an apiary are generally advised to make contact during the winter months to discuss timing, availability, and pickup arrangements. Equipment at the farm is kept in good order and the hives are actively managed, which is reflected in the condition of the bees that leave with customers.

Education and Beginner Support

One of the defining features of the business is the amount of instruction that accompanies a purchase. Beekeeping has a steep early learning curve, and questions about feeding, mite management, inspection schedules, hive configuration, and winter preparation come up constantly in a first season. The owners spend time on these questions, both in person at pickup and afterward by phone and email. New beekeepers frequently leave with printed reference material and practical starting advice in addition to their bees.

This educational side extends to honey customers as well. Visitors are often walked through the different honeys available and given the background on how each was produced, and children who come along with their parents usually get a look at the chickens and the rest of the homestead. The farm is a working property rather than a formal agritourism destination, but the informal tours and tastings are a regular part of the experience.

Eggs and Other Homestead Products

The homestead keeps laying hens, and farm fresh eggs are sold alongside the honey. Eggs are a frequent add-on purchase for regular honey customers and have developed a following of their own. As with honey, availability depends on what the birds are producing, and supply can tighten during shorter winter days.

Location, Access, and Practical Details

• Address: 691 Hickory Rd, Mohrsville, PA 19541
• Phone: +1 610-554-6052
• Service format: onsite services at the farm

Mohrsville sits in Centre Township, Berks County, north of Reading along the Schuylkill River corridor and within reach of Hamburg, Shoemakersville, Bernville, and Leesport. The farm draws customers from across Berks County and from farther afield in Schuylkill, Lehigh, Lancaster, and Montgomery counties, including buyers who make a deliberate drive for honey, eggs, or spring bees.

Because this is a home based agricultural operation rather than a retail shop with posted hours, arranging a visit in advance is the standard approach. Email and phone inquiries are answered promptly, and the owners are generally willing to work out a pickup time that fits the customer's schedule. Anyone planning to buy nucs should bring appropriate transport and be prepared with a plan for installing the colony the same day.

Who the Business Serves

The customer base falls into a few broad groups: households buying raw local honey and eggs for the table, people seeking local honey for seasonal reasons, first year beekeepers looking for healthy starter colonies and guidance, and experienced beekeepers expanding their apiaries or replacing winter losses with locally adapted stock. In all of these cases, the transaction tends to involve a direct conversation with the people who keep the bees, which is the aspect of the operation customers most consistently return for.